Shoe manufacturers strive to produce products that are comfortable, lightweight, sturdy, durable, shock absorbent and breathable, yet inexpensive. Incorporating all of these characteristics in a single shoe, however, has been difficult to achieve without employing manufacturing techniques that are expensive, labor intensive and time-consuming, and which sometimes employ hazardous manufacturing materials and methods, such as the use of glues or sealants, which may produce toxic fumes and which require time-consuming cooling during manufacture.
Simpler manufacturing techniques, such as those employed in the manufacture of “flip-flops” (an example of which is disclosed in publication number US 2009/0044423 to Amsterdam) result in reduced manufacturing costs but do not produce a “shoe,” as opposed to a simple beach sandal or the like, which has limited durability and practical use.